First-Year Faculty Performance and Professional Development Objectives

INTRODUCTION

The following Performance and Professional Development Objectives will be used by all teaching faculty in their first two semesters of employment at the college. The objectives are designed as a developmental process to acculturate new faculty to the full-time teaching faculty position at the college and in the Virginia Community College System. The objectives reflect the commitment of VCCS faculty to high standards of performance and to continuous improvement.

The supervisor and the faculty member may agree to modify the prescribed objectives where appropriate; however, all first-year faculty must complete the technology professional development objective by the end of their third semester of full-time teaching. Specifically, for faculty currently teaching or anticipated to teach at least one online or hybrid course: Earn certification or course credit through TOP, IDOL, MODEL, TOTAL, Quality Matters™, or other education in online instruction. For faculty anticipated to teach only on-campus courses: Earn certification or course credit in teaching with technology. Faculty who have already completed such coursework or certification are exempt from the Technology Performance and Professional Development Objective requirement, although they are encouraged to set objectives on an as-needed or as-desired basis that contribute to continuous improvement in teaching with technology. The dean/supervisor will have final approval on what coursework or certification meets this professional development objective.

The Performance and Professional Development Objectives for the third and later semesters of teaching will be developed by the faculty member in consultation with the dean/supervisor.

FIRST SEMESTER

Teaching

Implement and document at least one strategy for student engagement and learning outcomes. The strategy must include learning objectives, pedagogical approach, faculty-student interaction, one or more student activities, assessment of teaching, assessment of student engagement and learning, and reflections on/revision of the strategy.

Scholarly and Creative Engagement

Attend the VCCS New Faculty seminar, a VCCS Peer Conference, or another teaching related conference, seminar, workshop, or course approved by the supervisor; or work with a mentor to become acclimated to the college mission, vision, and goals and/or to develop one’s instructional effectiveness.

Institutional Responsibility

Initiate collaboration with one or more colleagues, mentors, and/or counseling staff members to develop and apply knowledge of the college’s educational programs and student advising processes.

Service

Volunteer to participate in a college or community service organization or activity.

SECOND SEMESTER

Teaching

Reflect on the first semester of teaching to identify from within the general areas of instructional design, instructional delivery, instructional effectiveness, or instructional expertise one specific target for improvement. Develop, implement, and document a strategy to address the target for improvement. The strategy must include objectives, activities, assessments, and reflections on/revision of the strategy.

Scholarly and Creative Engagement

For faculty currently teaching or anticipated to teach at least one online or hybrid course: Earn certification or course credit through TOP, IDOL, MODEL, TOTAL, Quality Matters™, or other education in online instruction approved by the supervisor.

For faculty anticipated to teach only on-campus courses: Earn certification or course credit approved by the supervisor in teaching with technology.

N.B.: (1) Faculty who have already completed relevant coursework or certification in teaching with technology are exempt from the Technology Performance and Professional Development Objective. The dean/supervisor will have final approval on what coursework or certification meets this Objective. (2) Where deemed appropriate by agreement of the faculty member and the dean the Technology Performance and Professional Development Objective may be moved to the third semester.

Institutional Responsibility

Participate in an activity in support of the strategic goals of the college/VCCS. Documentation of this must specifically identify the strategic goal, the activity, and reflections and plans for further action.

Service

Volunteer to participate in a college or community service organization or activity.

THIRD SEMESTER

As part of the evaluation process during the second semester of employment, the faculty member will develop a total of 3-5 Performance and Professional Development Objectives in one or more of the four domains of Teaching, Scholarly and Creative Engagement, Institutional Responsibility, and Service. The objectives will be developed in consultation with and approved by the dean/supervisor.